Metamorphosis
by Mares Guyver
Summary: Amethyst "Sparkler" Star was perfectly content in being an average pony in a not-so-average family. That all changed the day she encountered a mysterious metal disc which fell from the sky. Now, in order to protect her family, her friends, and all of Equestria from a resurgent menace, Amethyst must embrace a new destiny. [AS FIRST SEEN ON FiMFICTION]
1. Prologue: Into the Woods

Standard Disclaimer: "My Little Pony – Friendship is Magic" is the creation of Lauren Faust and the property of Hasbro and DHX Media. "Bio-booster Armor Guyver" (" _Kyoushoku Soukou Gaibaa"_ ) is the creation of Yoshiki Takaya. Any other works referenced within this story are the properties of their respective owners and creators. This is a work of fiction created primarily for entertainment purposes, and for entertainment purposes alone. So . . . _shoo._

Other Standard Disclaimer: This fanfic is rated PG-13 (or T) for violence, swearing, and mild sexual references.

* * *

 **Prologue:**

Into the Woods

* * *

" _Life – an infinite energy beyond scientific understanding. Now, this energy has been transformed into a new weapon."_ ~Opening monologue, _Bio-Booster Armor Guyver_

* * *

He was running.

Well, perhaps " _running_ " was the wrong word, considering his current form _was_ that of an equine, or more specifically, that of a pony. " _Galloping_ " was likely the more accurate means of describing his current activity, as he rapidly dashed, one hoof after another, into the depths of the Everfree Forest. Every once and awhile, he would tilt his head slightly, glancing behind him out the corner of his eye to make sure that nothing was following his trail. This action was made all the more difficult by the leather satchel he held tightly between his teeth. Two identical bags bounced at his sides from their position of being secured tightly around his middle.

After several minutes passed, the stallion slowed to a trot, panting heavily from both the exertion and exhaustion. Glancing upwards, he checked for any breaks in the foliage above while his ears swiveled around listening for even the faintest whisper of a sound that by all rights should _not_ be there. However, he was only greeted by the mild * _woosh*_ of the air between the forest leaves and the chitter-chatter of perfectly normal woodland creatures around him.

Sighing, the stallion slumped down against one particularly sturdy tree, gingerly lowering the satchel from his mouth as he did so. After briefly playing his jaw back into place with his hooves, the pony reached into a side pocket of the downed bag and pulled out a flask of water, taking one quick swig before putting it back in place. Resting his forelegs on his chest, the tired pony relaxed and took stock of his surroundings.

The earth pony was pale brown in color, with a mane of darker brown swept back on his head and down his neck. He had blue eyes that never seemed to rest on one spot, flitting to and fro as if every sound, every change in light and shadow, held a potential threat. Around his neck was a simple white collar and equally unremarkable necktie. On his flank, however, there was a more curious sight to behold—two triangles, one inverted such that the tips of both shapes touched one another in the middle of the form. But even more curious than this was a jewel, ovoid and smooth in texture, that was affixed to his body just beneath his sternum.

Unbidden, the gem lodged in the pony's flesh began to glow, changing in color from deep blue to purple. Wincing, the stallion raised himself up from his seated position until he was back on all four legs. Taking the satchel on the ground back in his mouth, he breathed in once through his nostrils, then again broke into a gallop straight into the depths of the forest.

More time passed, and eventually the pony emerged from the trees into a small clearing. He was clearly in pain, breathing hoarsely and stumbling with each step he took. The jewel on his body had since changed from purple to maroon, and was slowly metamorphosed further to a blood-like red. Spying a small pond near the center of the clearing, the pony hobbled over, limbs shaking, until he eventually reached the water's edge. With less care than before, he dropped the satchel from his mouth onto the grass and plunged his head into the water. After drinking several gulps, he came back up for air, starting as a voice suddenly growled behind him.

"Well . . . lookee here, boys."

Slowly turning around, the stallion looked up to match the gaze of the smirking form before him. The blue-furred creature was nearly bipedal, with arms disproportionately large and legs disproportionately small for supporting the massive torso of the beast, such that it had to slouch forward so that its palms touched the ground. It had greenish-yellow scleras for its eye, upright pointed ears, and a canine snout with a small black nose. The creature was attired in a simple vest with pockets full of glittering gems, as well as a black collar lined with diamonds with another polished jewel hanging from it.

'A Diamond Dog,' the seeming stallion thought, glancing between the figure immediately in front of him and two similar creatures a few steps behind, 'Just what I need right now.' Clearing his throat, the pony looked up again at the Diamond Dog in front of him, and spoke aloud, "I'm just passing through. I don't want any trouble."

The Diamond Dog blinked, and then laughed, his two companions joining in moments later. "'Trouble'? We don't want . . . _trouble_ ," he stated, lowering his head until it was level with the stallion, "We want . . . _**jewels**_."

The pony took a slight step backwards, one hoof unconsciously rising in the direction of his lower chest. "W-well that's a shame, b-because I'm fresh out!" he stammered, sweating as the Diamond Dog's eyes narrowed. Before the stallion could react, one of the canine's meaty fists whipped out, knocking the pony sideways and onto the ground. Dazed, the pony laid there with eyes closed, though still breathing shallowly.

"Liar," the Diamond Dog stated, seemingly as an afterthought, while his cohorts chortled behind him. "Check the saddlebags," the canine barked, pointing at the prostrate pony, while he bent down to pick up the other purloined pouch. Slipping off the catches to the bag, the Diamond Dog lifted the flap to reveal the satchel's contents.

'Wha . . . what in Equestria _is_ this?' the canine thought as he lifted the strange object from the bag. The item was round and roughly the size of a dinner plate, though much thicker in diameter. It consisted of a wound-up series of tube-like coils, held in place by three, large, dull metal clamps with three thinner clamps in-between the gaps. Nestled in the center of the coil bundle was a polished metal orb, with a ring-like rim of the same material around it.

"Boss!"

The Diamond Dog towards the shout from his cohort, and saw that his companions were holding up two more of the strange, wheel-like objects, likely pulled from the downed pony's other bags.

"Any jewels?" the lead canine asked, and his cohorts shook their heads. Snorting, the Diamond Dog turned back to the object in his own hands, examining his reflection in the polished orb's surface. Scratching his chin with one clawed finger, the canine mused, "These not-jewels _must_ be valuable . . . maybe we can trade them, get something better."

His companions tilted their heads in confusion. "'Trade'?" one of them asked, raising an eyebrow at the word as if it were foreign to him, and the lead canine shrugged.

"Can try something new," he stated, and then frowned his other cohort started waving at him with an idiotic grin on his mug, " _What?!_ "

Hopping up and down, the second subordinate clapped his massive paws together as he continued to grin goofily. "Look, Boss, look!" he stated, turning the still unconscious pony over so that the red gem on his torso, which was now blinking furiously, was clearly visible. The boss Diamond Dog smiled, and after putting the strange object back in the satchel, walked over to the stallion and grabbed the glowing gem with his paw.

"Urgh!" the Diamond Dog grunted as he tugged at the ovoid jewel, but to no avail—it simply would not budge from its fixed position on the pony's skin, despite the flesh itself visibly stretching like taffy beneath the pony's coat. Finally the Diamond Dog released the gem, his only reward being a few stray hairs clinging to the gaps between his paw pads. The canine looked back at his companions, who matched his confused expression, one shrugging while the other scratched the top of his head.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a weak voice stated, and the lead Diamond Dog turned back around to see the brown pony shakily rising until he was finally upright. The canine laughed disdainfully.

"Or what?" the Diamond Dog asked, lowering his head so that his snout was almost touching the muzzle of the pony. The pony didn't blink, but simply narrowed his eyes.

"Or you'll make me _angry_ ," he said calmly, though even as he spoke the entirety of his eyes began to glow a sickly green, while an aura of similar hue shimmered into place around his body.

" _And you won't li_ _ **ke me when I'm angry."**_

* * *

A moment passed, and then the relative peace of the Everfree Forest was disturbed by three bloodcurdling screams. Birds scattered in panic, shaking loose the leaves of the trees as critters scattered to safety on the ground. Larger creatures such as the manticore and timberwolves glanced up cautiously, but when no danger was sensed went back about their business. Minutes passed, and eventually quiet and calm settled again over the woods.

* * *

Back in the clearing, the again blue-eyed and brown-coated pony brushed himself off and straightened his tie. Humming a jaunty tune, he cantered over to his satchels and again placed the two saddle bags across his back. As he was about to take the handle of the final bag back in his mouth, he briefly glanced behind him to the groaning pile of bodies behind him. Frowning slightly, he slowly trotted over to the three battered forms and stood still until their gazes eventually met his.

Still frowning, the stallion stated, "For what it's worth, I'm sorry we had to encounter each other today. As far as what's been done to you, I had little choice—I had reached my limit when you lot decided to jump me, so it was convenient to take the sustenance I required from you."

Turning back around, the pony stepped back to the water's edge, grabbed the final bag, and ambled over to the treeline. Feeling the eyes of the canine trio still on him, the pony paused, and then lowered his bag before speaking over his shoulder, "You should recover in a few days' time. Well, _mostly_ recover, I think—even I don't know the long-term effects of having that much magical energy drained away so quickly. You might best use this time to reflect on your misdeeds, and think twice before you _ever_ attack an innocent, pony or otherwise, ever again."

Turning back to the darkness of the woods, the stallion again grasped his bag and trotted away in the forest depths, still humming the same merry tune. Back in the clearing, the wrinkled, desiccated forms of the three Diamond Dogs gasped for air from toothless, gummy mouths, shaking and shivering as they struggled to make sense of what had just happened to them.

Back in the Everfree Forest, the brown earth pony stopped in his tracks as his ears twitched at a sudden sound—a quiet buzzing above the trees, slowly growing louder and more malicious with each passing second. Taking a firmer grip of his cargo, the stallion again broke into a gallop—it was clear he simply had no more time to waste. For the safety of his friends, his family, and his race, he had to make it to his destination: _Canterlot!_

* * *

Mares Guyver Presents:

 _My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic_

~ and ~

 _Bio-Booster Armor Guyver_

" **METAMORPHOSIS"**


	2. Chapter 1: A New Day Dawns

Standard Disclaimer: "My Little Pony – Friendship is Magic" is the creation of Lauren Faust and the property of Hasbro and DHX Media. "Bio-booster Armor Guyver" (" _Kyoushoku Soukou Gaibaa"_ ) is the creation of Yoshiki Takaya. Any other works referenced within this story are the properties of their respective owners and creators. This is a work of fiction created primarily for entertainment purposes, and for entertainment purposes alone _._

Other Standard Disclaimer: This fanfic is rated PG-13 (or T) for violence, swearing, and mild sexual references.

* * *

 **Chapter 1:**

A New Day Dawns

* * *

" _Morning in Ponyville shimmers!_

 _Morning in Ponyville shines._

 _And I know for absolute certain,_

 _That everything is certainly fine."_

~ "Morning in Ponyville" from "Magical Mystery Cure," _My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic_

* * *

 _*BRRRRRRIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGG!*_

In response to the sudden aural intrusion, the lump beneath the thick covers of the bed shifted, a low moan emerging from the bed's plush depths. Eventually, a light magenta leg snaked out from the confines of its warm sanctuary into the morning chill, wavering over the alarm clock on the nightstand by the bed until finally tapping it into silence. Again the covers shifted, and with bleary, unfocused purple eyes, Amethyst Star rose up to greet the new day.

Following a large yawn and stretch of her forelegs above her head, Amethyst reluctantly left the embrace of her down-filled cocoon, lowering herself from the bed onto all four hooves. Blinking, smacking her cotton-filled mouth, and still suffering the occasional yawn, the mare slowly made her way out of her bedroom to the bathroom she shared with her younger sister, who thankfully was not yet awake. Once in the bathroom, the horn on Amethyst's forehead was suffused with a raspberry-red glow as she entered her morning routine—washing herself, brushing her teeth, and combing out the many, many kinks in her violet and light purple mane. This last task always took her a fair amount of time, which was one reason why she was forced to wake well before anyone else in the house, or even the majority of Ponyville for that matter.

Her morning ritual complete, and now feeling much more awake and refreshed, Amethyst cheerfully trotted down the stairs of the two-story house to the main floor. As she made her way to the final landing, her smile increased as she simultaneously smelled a delicious aroma and heard a gentle singing emerging from the kitchen. Walking around the banister of the stairs, Amethyst peeked around the corner of the room divide, her smile turning into a full-on grin at the sight before her.

Within the kitchen stood another mare, lightly bobbing up and down as she manipulated a wire whisk in a bowl full of brownish-yellow batter. The mare had a light grey coat, a straw-like yellow mane, and a cluster of seven bubbles marking her flank. Her eyes were closed as she stirred, but when she opened them the mare revealed two, mismatched pale-yellow eyes—one focused on the bowl, while the other pointed to the ceiling above.

"Baking these treats is such a cinch! Add two-thirds cup of brown sugar! Add a little more, and count to four, and you never get your fill'er . . ." Ditzy Doo sang as she poured the batter into a 12-cup mold, " _Muffins!_ So sweet and tasty!"

"Muffins! Don't be too hasty!" Amethyst Star chimed in, snickering as Ditzy jumped slightly, her pegasus wings unfurling so that she hovered lightly in the air. Spying the magenta-coated mare in the entryway, Ditzy grinned sheepishly and dropped down beside Amethyst, putting one foreleg on the younger pony's shoulder while Amethyst matched the gesture.

"Muffins!" the two mares rang out together, raising their free forelegs up into the air, "Muffins, muffins, _muffins!_ " Amethyst and Ditzy held the same position for a few seconds more before collapsing in shared giggles. Had anyone been witness to the scene, they would have been hard-pressed to say whether the two ponies were mother and daughter or sisters, so close they seemed in both appearance and demeanor.

Sitting on her haunches, Amethyst brought her other foreleg around and gave Ditzy a hug, which the grey-colored mare returned with a smile. "Morning, Mom," Amethyst said, nuzzling Ditzy's cheek with her own lightly in greeting. Ditzy giggled slightly at the touch, and still smiling pulled away to look at her adopted daughter with her one good eye.

"Morning, Sparkler-sweetie!" Ditzy chirped, "Did you sleep well?" She laughed again as Amethyst openly yawned, waving a hoof in front of her mouth. Her cheeks now aflame, Amethyst rose up back on all four legs with a sheepish grin of her own.

"As well as could be expected," she finally answered as she ambled over to the coffee maker on the counter, smiling both at the fact that her mother had already run the machine and at the smell of the heavenly brew.

As Amethyst used her magic to levitate the coffee carafe and pour herself a cup, Ditzy fluttered over to the kitchen's oven. Taking a dishrag in her mouth, Ditzy carefully opened the oven door and pulled out a freshly-baked set of muffins, which she gently set down to cool. As she grabbed the mold she had previously poured batter into, Ditzy fought the grin on her face as a low moan emerged from the direction of her daughter.

"Sweet, Blessed Celestia, that's the stuff," Amethyst breathed out as she finished sipping from her coffee mug, the young mare only emerging from her stupor when the full-hearted bray of her mother's laugh reached her ears. Pouting slightly, she glanced at other mare, still grinning and openly googly-eyed. "Shut up," Amethyst mumbled, struggling and failing to keep a smile from her own face.

Whistling innocently, Ditzy turned back to the finished set of muffins, which had cooled enough for an experienced muffin devourer such as herself. Grabbing one with her hoof, she tossed it into the air and opened wide, chomping down on the pastry once it entered her maw. "Mmmmm . . . first muffin of the day," Ditzy hummed, while her daughter giggled at the familiar sight.

Shaking her head, Amethyst turned and opened one of the cupboards with a light tug of raspberry-red energy, for as much as she loved her mother's baking she still liked some variety once and awhile. Frowning at the cupboard's contents, Amethyst turned to Ditzy. "Are we out of bread, Mom?"

Looking up from her morning muffin gorge, Ditzy smiled apologetically, "Sorry Sweetie, I didn't have time to stop at the market after my route yesterday. With all the new homes and families sprouting up around Ponyville, it's just been taking me longer and longer to finish the daily deliveries."

Nodding understandingly, Amethyst turned back and continued to examine the cupboard. It was true that, in the years that had passed since Princess Twilight's coronation, a constant stream of ponies had come to settle in Ponyville in order to be closer to Equestria's most recently named princess. As a result, the formerly small, pastoral town had grown by leaps and bounds.

"You'd think between all those new homes and businesses, there'd be enough incentive to hire more workers to help you out at the post office," Amethyst remarked.

Ditzy smiled a wan smile, bringing into contrast a few laugh-lines that marked even her, seemingly, eternally youthful features. "You'd think that, wouldn't you? she stated with a chuckle, "In any case, we're expecting a lighter number of deliveries today, so I should be able to make a run to the market before it closes." Holding up one of her trademark culinary creations, Ditzy grinned broadly. "But in the meantime, we do have plenty of deliciousness!"

Amethyst just rolled her eyes, turning back to the cupboard to see if she could find _any_ alternative worth eating. Eventually a plastic-wrapped package caught her eye, tucked into a far corner of the cupboard. Levitating the package out of the cabinet, Amethyst grimaced slightly at the contents of the bag, but not spotting anything else remotely edible, sighed and trotted over to the toaster, the bag and a jar of peanut butter floating behind her. Still munching on yet another muffin, Ditzy glanced at her daughter with her swiveling right eye, then shuttered and nearly choked when she saw what Amethyst was intending to eat.

Swallowing the remainder of her meal, Ditzy finally managed to speak aloud. "Y-y-you're going to h-h-have one of _t-t-those!_ " she stammered in horror, pointing with one shaking hoof at the offending item now floating out of its package—an _English_ muffin!

Still frowning, Amethyst didn't look up as she focused on the bread-based food product in front of her. "They're not so bad with enough peanut butter on them," she finally stated, her horn flashing once as she used her magic to slice the pastry cleanly in half. Lowering the two muffin halves into the toaster, she finally turned to look at Ditzy, who was ashen-faced and still pointing a shaky foreleg. "I don't see what the big deal is."

Despite herself, Amethyst laughed as Ditzy proceeded to make a variety of inelegant gagging noises, holding her hooves to her neck like she was being choked before finally dipping backwards and collapsing onto the kitchen floor. Eventually, Ditzy rolled back onto her hooves and stood up, smiling at her daughter with her oppositely-pointing eyes. Shaking her head and gently chuckling, Ditzy moved over to the refrigerator and removed a carton of carrot juice from the inside. After pouring the juice into three glasses, Ditzy finally turned back to face the younger mare.

"I really don't understand how you can eat those dry, bitter, just-plain-yucky . . . _things_ ," Ditzy stated, then blinked and chuckled lightly, "Between the coffee-lust and eating . . . _not_ -muffins, I swear, you're getting to be just like your father."

The peaceful atmosphere of the kitchen was shattered as both the plastic peanut butter jar and English muffin package dropped to the floor with an audible * _smack_ *. As silence settled over the room, Ditzy raised a hoof to her mouth as she suddenly realized exactly _what_ she had just said. Turning around, she looked cautiously at the magenta-colored unicorn whose head was bowed, her body quivering slightly.

"Sweetie?" Ditzy asked carefully, slowly moving closer to her daughter until she could see her face, obscured as it was by her violet bangs. Amethyst's eyes were tightly shut, her teeth clenched, and she was muttering underneath her breath.

"I'm not like him . . . I'm _not_ like _him._ " Amethyst murmured, tears appearing in the corners of her eyes as she spoke. Her own eyes watering, Ditzy opened a wing and wrapped it around her daughter, who started slightly at the touch before settling down. Gently, Ditzy pulled Amethyst closer until the pair were side-by-side, bodies and heads resting against each other. They held that position for a few minutes until the silence was finally broken by two things:

The first was the _*pop*_ of the fully toasted pastries emerging from the depths of the appropriately-named appliance; the second was a voice that positively reeked sunshine and good cheer.

" _GOOOOOOOD morning, everypony!_ " Dinky Doo exclaimed as she bounced into the kitchen, grinning ear-to-ear and waving one foreleg in a broad arc. When she received no reply, the gray-violet adolescent blinked and looked around until she spied her mother and sister. Trotting over to the two of them, Dinky gave the two hugging mares a quick once-over and frowned a little with growing concern. "Hey, is something wrong?" Dinky asked carefully.

Quickly separating, Amethyst wiped her face with her foreleg while Ditzy turned to her younger daughter with a strained smile. "N-nothing at all, m-my big muffin!" she said, corralling Dinky away from Amethyst so that the other mare could regain her composure. "N-neither of us are fully awake, yet," she stated, turning back to look at Amethyst, "Isn't that r-right, Sparkler-sweetie?"

Still facing away from her mother and sister, Amethyst nodded, and taking a deep breath, levitated the peanut butter jar back up from the floor and put the English muffin package back into the cupboard. With the peanut butter jar now floating beside her, Amethyst turned back to the toaster, and scowled with sudden distaste at the pale pastry waiting for her.

"You really should eat something, Amethyst," she heard her mother utter softly. Turning around, she saw Ditzy gazing at her with a look both concerned and pleading, the grey mare's usually wandering eyes now focused and rigid. "You really need . . . to keep your strength up." Thankfully, Dinky was too involved in mimicking her mother's morning muffin guzzle to notice Ditzy's uncharacteristically more serious tone.

 _Please,_ Ditzy mouthed silently, and after a moment, Amethyst nodded.

 _Okay,_ she mouthed back in reply, feeling a lightness in her chest as her mother's smile returned, the mare's light yellow eyes once again moving in their usual revolving dance. Turning back to her breakfast, Amethyst quietly opened the peanut butter jar with her magic, spreading it one of the muffin halves with a knife she had levitated out of the utensil drawer. Chomping down on the pastry, Amethyst realized her mother had been right about these "not-muffins."

Even with her favorite peanut butter flavor on top, in the end they really did taste bitter.

* * *

Time passed, but eventually breakfast ended. After the three ponies had fully cleaned up the kitchen, they made ready to attend to the business of the day. As usual, Ditzy was fluttering around the house trying to locate the scattered pieces of her mailmare's uniform.

"Where are my saddlebags?" Ditzy's voice was heard from the master bedroom upstairs. Without looking up from the book she was reading in the living room, Dinky's horn began to glow with a light mulberry aura.

"Behind the recliner here in the living room," the older filly stated with familiar ease, turning another page in her book with her hoof.

"Ohhhhh . . . and my hat?"

"Tossed on the umbrella rack."

"And my shirt?"

"Dumped in the laundry basket by the washing machine."

"Ok~ay!" Ditzy exclaimed, flying back downstairs only to crash at the bottom landing as she found all of her missing items floating and waiting for her in a familiar raspberry-red aura. Looking up from her prone position, she spotted the smirking face of her older daughter around the corner from the stairwell.

"Missing these?" Amethyst asked sweetly, and laughed as Ditzy grouchily grabbed the mailmare's hat with her teeth and flipped it onto her head. Smiling more genuinely, Amethyst helped her mother into the rest of her uniform, buttoning the shirt and securing the straps of the saddlebags with long practiced ministrations of her magic.

Now fully dressed, Ditzy Doo opened the front door to their home and took to the air. Slowing to a hovering position, the pegasus turned around to face her two unicorn daughters, who in that time had also emerged from the house.

"Well, I'm off!" Ditzy stated, "You two have a good day!" And with a final wave, the mailmare dipped, spun, and finally soared away into the bright blue sky. Amethyst and Dinky continued to wave for a few moments more, but eventually they lowered their arms to their sides.

Turning to her younger sister, Amethyst stated, "I guess we better get going too, huh Squirt?" grinning as the adolescent pony puffed out her cheeks in frustration.

"Squirt?! I'm almost as big as you are, Star, so you don't get to call me that anymore!" Dinky retorted, and Amethyst laughed, nodding her head to indicate that the older filly had a point. Still chuckling, Amethyst began walking down the dirt road that would take her and her sister to Ponyville, where their own jobs were waiting for them. After a moment, Dinky followed alongside her older sister.

Glancing over at her little sister, Amethyst noted that indeed Dinky was no longer, well, _dinky_. While not quite a full-grown mare, Dinky was certainly older and bigger then when Amethyst had first met her adopted sister, at that time just a small filly. In fact, when she thought about it, Dinky was actually about the same age Amethyst herself was when Ditzy Doo had adopted the then-older filly and brought her to her new home. Other changes were evident since that time as well—Dinky now wore her wavy, light blond mane in a tail-style high on her head, the tail held in place by a large, pink bow that bounced in time with her gait.

'One thing that hasn't changed, though . . .' Amethyst mused as her gaze briefly wandered to her sister's flank, which was completely bare of any markings, unlike most other young mares or stallions her age. Noting her older sister's look out the corner of her own eye, Dinky coughed once so that Amethyst's gaze trailed back to meet her own.

"Are you looking at my butt, sis?" Dinky asked with a sly smile. While she briefly felt her face flush, Amethyst recovered and matched her sister's expression.

"Well how could I not, it's such a cute tush," Amethyst replied, grinning as she noted the red creeping up the younger mare's face, "I'm surprised none of the stallions your age have complimented you on it yet." Amethyst internally cackled as her sister's face quickly turned a shade of maroon, then noting that Dinky had muttered something beneath her breath, leaned in so that her ear nearly flicked the side of her sister's cheek. "What was th~at?" she asked in sing-song, and Dinky bowed her head further before speaking.

"One might have . . ." Dinky muttered, and once the words registered in Amethyst's brain the older pony's eyes widened as a goofy grin spread across her face.

"Ooooh, tell me, tell me, tell me!" Amethyst exclaimed, bouncing up and down like a school-age filly, or a Pinkie Pie. After a moment, she noticed that her sister didn't seem to share her enthusiasm, so Amethyst stopped bouncing and put one consoling foreleg around her little sister. "Come on, tell Big Sister everything," she stated warmly, and Dinky nodded in reply.

"It was Pip, you know, Pipsqueak," Dinky finally uttered. "I was just trotting through the town square the other day and just happened to pass him by. I don't think he knew, but I saw him . . . _glancing_ at me as I trotted away." If it was even possible to do so, Dinky blushed further, "I may have, _passaged_ a bit, after I noticed him look."

Amethyst grinned toothily, pulling her little sister into a hug. "D'awww . . . my widdle sis is w'all gwown up," she uttered, then laughed as she noticed her sister's glare at the extra dash of "cutesy-wutesyness" in her voice. Tapping her chin with her hoof, Amethyst considered the situation. "Well, I guess Pipsqueak isn't exactly a 'pipsqueak' anymore . . . plus 'Pipsqueak and Dinky' does have a certain, _thematic_ ring to it." Noting that her little sister was shrinking into herself out of even further embarrassment, Amethyst gave her a gentle squeeze, waiting until Dinky met her gaze again. "Do you like him, too?"

Dinky didn't reply right away, but as she turned to glance to the side, the shy, gentle smile on her face told Amethyst all that she needed to know. "I . . . guess, maybe," Dinky finally offered, and though Amethyst's smile remained warm, her eyes took on a slightly mischievous glint.

"Well, you know what this means, right?" she asked, grinning as Dinky looked up at her with a confused expression. Breaking the embrace with her sister, Amethyst cantered away down the path, exclaiming nearly as loud as she could, **"Pipsqueak and Dinky, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"**

To her credit, Dinky only watched the laughing mare for two seconds before the words her older sister uttered finally processed in her brain. "S-S-S-Star!" Dinky bellowed, breaking into a gallop to pursue the older pony who had also begun to run, " _You get back here!_ "

The two daughters of Ditzy Doo continued their chase from the outskirts of town where their family lived all the way into Ponyville's town center. Various other ponies glanced curiously at the two mares—one laughing hysterically, the other screaming incoherently—before shrugging and going about their business. Other ponies that knew the two girls well, such as Golden Harvest and Raindrops, simply shook their heads with light, exasperated smiles.

Just another day in Ponyville.

Eventually, Amethyst slowed down in order to allow her younger sister to catch her . . . which she did by tackling the older pony at full speed so that they rolled in the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust and dirt. When the dust cloud settled, Amethyst was flat on her back, Dinky sitting on top of her with a triumphant grin on her face.

"Oh Dinky, _you've got me_ ," Amethyst crooned with mock _gravitas_. "Do what you will with me, but do it quick, lest I be fired from my job for not being . . . _two minutes early!_ "

Dinky snorted, but managed to maintain a mostly serious expression on her face as she scratched her chin with her hoof. "This offense requires the most severe of punishments . . ." she stated, and then grinned wickedly, "So I decree, _Death . . ._ by _Tickle Torture!_ " As she spoke, the tip of the unicorn's horn began to glow while a matching mulberry aura surrounded her errant sister, who began twitching, shaking, and laughing uncontrollably.

"Hehehe! Stop, please—hehehehe—I'm sorry, I give! Hehehehe!" Amethyst managed to utter between whinnies. Dinky merely raised a brow, though the glow atop her horn did dim slightly.

"Which of us is the greatest and most powerful sister?" she finally asked with an imperious smirk, her lips twitching as she struggled to keep her façade intact.

"You are! Hehehehe! You are the greatest—hehehehe—and most powerful one!" Amethyst nearly screamed, barely managing to keep her volume in check. Another minute or two passed, but then Dinky shrugged and stepped off from sitting on her sister.

"Ok," she said simply, the glow around her horn and the aura around her sister dissipating. Still quivering slightly, Amethyst gradually rose back on all four legs.

Wincing slightly, Amethyst rubbed her torso with one foreleg, "Ouch! My sides are going to be aching the rest of the day . . ." She stiffened slightly as another mulberry glow alighted her body. But rather than produce more pain, instead Amethyst felt her aches fade away until only the barest tingle remained. Smiling, she turned to her sister who to her credit looked a little abashed, and ruffled the younger pony's mane affectionately, "Thanks, Squirt."

Dinky frowned slightly at the repeated use of the diminutive (despite the fact that it actually wasn't all that different from her actual name-it was the principle of the thing), but then took on a more pensive expression. Not looking her older sister in the eye, she absentmindedly rubbed the back of one foreleg with the other. "Star, you're not going to . . ." Dinky hesitantly stated "I mean, what we talked about, you won't tell . . ."

"Not a soul," Amethyst said softly, placing one hoof under her sister's chin and turning her face around to meet her own. "Until you decide you _want_ to tell someone else, that's a secret between sisters," she continued with a wink, "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake—or a delicious and nutritious muffin—in my eye."

Dinky giggled as her sister went through the prerequisite gestures of a Pinkie Promise with Doo Family Amendment, then reached up and gave her sister a quick hug before stepping away with a full smile on her face—an expression Amethyst easily matched. "I guess I'd better get to the library," Dinky finally stated, turning around to head in the direction of the oak tree and oft-residence of the local-town Princess.

"Hey," Amethyst stated, smiling as Dinky paused to look back at her, "Have a good day, Little Sis."

Dinky returned the smile, "You too, Big Sis." And with a slight bounce in her step, Dinky Doo cantered away as Amethyst watched on.

As soon as Dinky was out of sight, Amethyst turned around and trotted to her own destination for the day—the local Ponyville jewelry store, The Diamond Mint. Amethyst had been working as an apprentice at the store for nearly a year, and according to the proprietor (whose name was shared with the store), was well on her way to becoming a fully-qualified jeweler in her own right.

Stopping in front of the establishment, Amethyst again found herself questioning the choice of location, as The Diamond Mint was located within the same building as the town's much larger joke shop, such that the entire building resembled a giant jester's hat. The only clue that a jewelry store was present was the singular display window full of glittering trinkets and a small hanging sign.

Entering the store, Amethyst's presence was announced was a tinkling bell on the door and after a moment a light blue mare with a purple and cream mane emerged from the store's back room. Recognizing Amethyst, the other mare's body relaxed as she smirked slightly and ambled over in a casual manner.

"I just saw you and your sister tumbling out there, Sparkler," Diamond Mint finally stated. "You two are just _tooooo_ cute!"

In response, Amethyst merely rolled her eyes at the other mare's jest. "Yeah, yeah, yeah . . ." she muttered, though only with mock irritation as a smile quickly returned to her face, "So how's business today, _Boss_?"

Now it was Diamond's turn to roll her eyes. "How many times have I told you to stop with the whole "Boss" thing," she intoned with mock hurt, "We're nearly the same age you know, and considering everypony seems to think we're twins, that practically makes us family, or at the very least _equal_ business partners." Amethyst laughed and nodded in agreement. In truth, nearly everypony she had met after she had begun working in the jewelry store had pointed out the seemingly remarkable resemblance between herself and Diamond Mint. However, neither of the two mares saw it that way.

After all, their respective coats and manes were completely different colors!

If there was anything they shared though that both agreed upon, it was their cutie marks—three cut and polished gemstones resembling diamonds that marked both of their flanks. But while Diamond Mint had earned her cutie mark for being able to put together fantastic jewelry from even the most mundane materials, Amethyst Star had earned her nearly identical mark for an entirely different reason.

"In answer to your question," Diamond finally stated, her voice drawing Amethyst out of her musing, "We just a fresh shipment of gemstones from the Crystal Empire. They still need to be cut to specification, but once they are, we'll have a whole new line to offer to our customers!" Amethyst smiled at her co-worker's enthusiasm, and lifting a smock and goggles with her magic, she walked over to the back room door.

"I'll get right on it, then," Amethyst said. "You don't mind watching the front, Di?"

Smirking, Diamond Mint leaned against one of the display cases with one brow raised. "Have I ever minded 'watching the front'?" she uttered with a grin, and then taking on a superior tone, puffed out her chest and lifted her nose into the air, "I _am_ Diamond Mint of _The_ Diamond Mint, and it is my duty to cater and pamper—"

"And beg and cajole . . ." Amethyst added sarcastically.

"Yes," Diamond agreed with a smile and nod of her head, "And ensure that my customers are comfortably mesmerized so that they feel _obligated_ to give me a sale." Grinning now, but still holding her nose in the air, she gestured weakly with one hoof. "Now, shoo, off with you now."

Struggling to hold in her laughter, Amethyst bowed with one foreleg outstretched and the other across her chest, "At once, _madam._ " Still facing Diamond Mint, she shuffled backwards through the door and into the backroom. Once there, she allowed herself to finally break out into a fit of giggles, and based on the sounds making their way through the door, knew that Diamond Mint was doing the same.

Shaking her head with mirth, Amethyst finally donned the worker's garb and turned to face the cases of unpolished, uncut gemstones before her. Lifting one particularly large amethyst from a case, she smiled as her namesake twirled in the air in front of her, her mind calculating the exact number and degree of cuts that would be necessary to bring out this gem's full brilliance. This was where _her_ special talent would finally come into play.

To put it simply, Amethyst Star could make absolutely anything _**sparkle**_.

It was how she had earned her nickname, "Sparkler," as well as her cutie mark—using her magic and special intuition to make all sorts of everyday objects glitter as if they were coated with the same dust used to give that "certain-special-something" to pastries at Sugarcube Corner. But while her skill and magic had been good for parlor tricks at the orphanage where she grew up, she had not found a practical use for her talent until she once briefly assisted Rarity at the Carousel Boutique . . .

* * *

 _At the time, Amethyst had been trying multiple odd jobs, trying to find something where her talents would be useful as well as help to support her mother, who barely made ends meet for the three of them on a mailmare's salary. Though she didn't have an eye for fashion (a fact which Rarity had_ loudly _and_ frequently _pointed out), the unicorn had still lived up to her Element of Harmony and generously taken Amethyst under her (proverbial) wing. Despite some misgivings about the job, Amethyst had slowly found pleasure in the more technical aspects of putting together clothes and making adjustments to previously purchased outfits._

 _It was while helping Rarity to arrange a particularly troublesome (for Rarity, anyway) set of evening gowns that her unrealized ability had finally made itself known. While Rarity loudly agonized and carried on about various details and ideas in the background, Amethyst had been rummaging through the collection of gemstones Rarity kept on hand to adorn her various designs with. Levitating one polished ruby in front of her, Amethyst had become fixated on what she felt was a flaw in the gem's look—she couldn't put her hoof on what the flaw was, only that she knew that it was there._

 _Amethyst remembered how, without really thinking about it, she had concentrated her magic onto the ruby. Tiny, microscopic cuts were chipped away from the gem as Amethyst had continued to stare at it, not really conscious of what she was doing and only knowing what_ needed _to be done. Eventually, the mare's eyes had refocused, and hovering before her was a completely different jewel—one that seemed to be lit from within as if it contained flame itself._

" _How did you do that?" Amethyst remembered Rarity asking in wonder, as well as her own shock at not being able to recall when the older mare had stopped talking and come to stand beside her._

" _I, I don't know," she remembered herself replying, as at the time she truly didn't, "I just . . . focused on it and it turned into-this!"_

 _Amethyst also remembered the genuine smile that lit up Rarity's face, as well as the gentle hug she was pulled into by the Element of Generosity. "Well Darling, I think I might have an idea of what_ this _says you're meant to do," Rarity had stated, bumping Amethyst's flank with her own._

 _That same day, Rarity had dragged Amethyst over to The Diamond Mint, shooed out all of the other customers despite Diamond Mint's protests, then introduced Amethyst to the jeweler and explained what had happened not minutes before. Amethyst remembered the questioning expression on Diamond's face that just managed to cover growing excitement, and her demand for an immediate demonstration. She recalled how, despite her nervousness under the gaze of the two other mares, she had taken an emerald meant for a gold necklace, and after several minutes of concentration, caused the same metamorphosis she had performed in Rarity's boutique. Amethyst certainly wouldn't forget how, after the demonstration, Diamond had hollered in exhilaration, grabbed her, and swung her around in the air through a combination of enthusiasm, manic strength, and magic—they were lucky nothing of importance got broken._

 _And she would always remember how, on the very day, Diamond Mint had hired her on the spot with the promise of making her the (second) finest jeweler in all of Equestria._

* * *

Amethyst smiled, shaking her head lightly to rid herself of the fog of memory. After all, she had a job to do, and if she was going to live to her family's reputation of hard work and dedication (if not some of the . . . less respectful things her family was known for), she had to get right on to it. Focusing again on the unrefined amethyst stone in front of her, the mare allowed her magic to flow, and threw herself wholeheartedly into the task at hoof.

* * *

In the Everfree Forest, the brown-coated stallion hid beneath the hedges and low-lying trees. The buzzing was growing louder now, closer and more insistent. He knew it was only a matter of time before they found him, well before he would have a chance to reach his destination and meet with his contact on the outside. The pony frowned with frustration—he was so close to his goal, it just wasn't fair!

Looking at the trees and brush and foliage about him, the stallion took a deep, calming breath, and considered his options. He could continue to try and hide from his pursuers, mask his presence and trail as best as possible, and hope that he might find friendly aid either within the forest or the nearest town—a place he knew to be named Ponyville. Or, he could stand his ground either here, or somewhere nearby, and ensure that none of his potential captors returned with the cargo he now carried. Sadly, knowing what he did about his pursuer's tracking abilities, the second option seemed like the more likely if less preferable one.

The pony scratched the underside of his chin with one hoof. He wasn't a fighter—his specialty had been research and analysis, not combat. And even with his . . . _enhancements_ , he knew he couldn't hope to last long against his pursuers if it came down to a scrap. So a direct fight was out of the question—he needed an entirely _different_ strategy. Something unexpected, something that those intent on finding him could not hope to predict. A trump card.

Glancing around him briefly before closing his eyes, the stallion extended his hidden senses into the natural elements of the woods, feeling the pulse, the flow, the _magic_ that existed even here, in the Everfree Forest. Unbidden, he felt himself groan in frustration—there was _so little_ of it!

Well really, that was inaccurate—the forest pulsed with magic like any other living thing in Equestria. However, due to its vast size and uncontrolled nature, the magic of the woods was diluted and less concentrated than it would be in a smaller organism, such as a timberwolf, or an Ursa Major, or a sea serpent.

Or a Diamond Dog. Or a pony.

Still, it was what he had to work with—he just hoped he had enough time to prepare what he needed before he was found. The decision made, the brown-coated pony sat on his haunches and placed his forelegs on the ground. Several moments passed with nothing seeming to happen, but then gradually the grass, brush, and other plants began to wilt and lose their color. The discoloration spread outward from the stallion, taking hue and vibrancy away from everything the growing blight touched. Still seated in the center of the expanding circle, the pony grimaced as the excess energy was channeled into the gem below his chest, the jewel gradually glowing lighter and lighter blue until it blazed a stark white.

He was ready. He was waiting.

 **END CHAPTER ONE**


End file.
